The present invention relates to a method for training a crew member of a vehicle, especially a military vehicle, in the interior of the vehicle, whereby a virtual vehicle external environment is produced, and also relates to a corresponding vehicle simulator for training a crew member.
To train a vehicle crew member, it is advantageous that the operation of the vehicle, or of a partial system of the vehicle, that is to be practiced be carried out in an environment that is as true to the original as possible. Of particular advantage is especially if the training takes place in the vehicle itself or in a vehicle interior that simulates the vehicle. It is furthermore advantageous if the vehicle is not actually placed into movement, but rather if the vehicle external environment is merely simulated, because in so doing the vehicle, in particular the drive components, do not have to be a part of the vehicle simulator. Furthermore, situations that are relevant to training can be simulated via the generation of virtual realities in a planned manner.
One method for training a crew member of a military vehicle is described in EP 0 947 797 A2, which discloses that the training of the tank crew members is carried out in stationary or permanent simulators, whereby the simulators represent the original tanks. By means of a simulation computer, a virtual vehicle external environment is produced, whereby this external view is illustrated on three image screens or monitors.
The drawback of this method is that with modern vehicles, especially military vehicles, a plurality of viewing windows are present, for example front, side or rear windows, periscopes or other optics, through which the crew member can see the vehicle external environment, so that a plurality of monitors is required. The contents of these monitors that display the virtual external environment must additionally be coordinated with the position and the direction of viewing of the student in order to achieve a high degree of near reality.
It is an object of the present invention to reduce the number of monitors that display the virtual external environment.